Desk tray



ug- 25 1959 c. M. ABRAHAMSON 2,901,120

DESK TRAY Filed Jan. 3l, 1956 c. M. ABRAHAMSON 2,901,120

Aug. 25, 1959 DESK TRAY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 31, 1956 United States Patent() "ce DESK TRAY Charles M. Abrahamson, Aurora, Ill., assignor to Alllsltlaltl Equipment Inc., Aurora, lll., a corporation of ons Application January 31, 1956, Serial No. 562,400 1 Claim. (Cl. 211-126) My invention relates to a desk tray, and more particularly to the type of tray which may be stacked in tiers for receiving correspondence, drawings, and other like papers or objects.

It is often difficult with conventional desk trays to insert and remove papers because of the interference from the interconnecting elements between the stacked trays and also because the lower tray frequently does not provide proper clearance for grasping the papers which are to be removed from that tray.

Furthermore, conventionalV desk trays are often provided with legs that are prone to scratch the surface of the desk or table upon which they are placed, and when rubber feet are used on the legs the rubber as it ages will often stain the nished tops of the desks or tables. If the bottom of the tray rests directly upon the supporting surface, sharp corners on the tray may also damage the desk or table top.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a desk tray that may be used singly or may be stacked in tiers, and yet overcomes the diiliculties mentioned above. The interconnecting elements are located rearwardly of the trays so that they do not interfere with the insertion and removal of papers; and the bottom tray is given ample hand clearance so that there is no difficulty in grasping papers in that tray and removing them. This is accomplished by having the front end of the tray substantially raised above the plane of the base and providing a suitable cut-out for the hand to grip the papers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tray which has a broad base support so that it is highly resistant to tipping.

It is also characterized by elimination of rubber feet or sharp metal surfaces which could mar or stain the surface upon which it is placed.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a desk tray construction that permits a number of the trays to be united in a stack or tier without reducing the hand clearance to each tray.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a self-cleaning desk tray.

Other objects, uses, and advantages will be obvious or become apparent from a consideration of the following description and drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a number of trays embodying my invention, arranged in a stack or tier;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view along line 22 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a fragmental plan view of a rear corner of one of the desk trays shown in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmental side elevational view of the rear end of one of my improved desk trays;

Figure 5 is a front elevational view of one of the supports employed in my improved desk tray, parts being broken away;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the stack of desk trays 2,901,120 LPau-.naal Aug. 25, 1959 shown in phantom;

Figure 7 is a fragtnental cross sectional view along line 7-7 of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a plan view of one of my improved desk trays;

Figure 9 is a cross sectional view along line 9-9 of Figure 6; and

Figure l0 is a fragmental plan view illustratnig a pin or rod and index card holderl that is incorporated in my improved desk tray.

Reference numeral 10 of Figures 1, 2 and 6 indicates a stack or tier of desk trays made up of a plurality ofv desk trays 12 embodying my invention. As seen more particularly in Figures 1, 2 and 6, each desk tray 12 comprises a J-shaped channel support or base 14 positioned on either side of a relatively at, rearwardly inclined floor or bottom 16. The floor or bottom 16 merges into an upstanding rear wall 1S. The door or bottom 16 is inclined rearwardly so that papers 19 that are dropped into the trays 12 will tend to slide toward the rear wall 18, as indicated in Figure 2.

The floor 16 merges into the upper ends of the shorter legs 20 of the respective channel or trough supports 14, and the upper ends or edges of these shorter legs 20 and floor 16 incline downwardly rearwardly of the desk tray. The shorter legs 2i) of each support 14 merge into webs 22 that in turn merge into relatively long legs 24 (of channel supports 14) that form the side Walls of the desk tray.l As seen in Figure -8, the front edge of the oor or bottom 16 is concavely cut out as at 26 to permit one to readily grasp papers and the like resting on the door or bottom 16, particularly the bottom tray when resting on a desk, table, or other such flat surface.

In the illustrated and preferred embodiment, I prefer to form the desk trays 12 out of a single sheet of relatively intlexible material such as common types of sheet metal. The sheet metal is formed by any suitable operation to indent the Hoor or bottom 16 above the webs 22 and bend the longer legs 24 of J-shaped supports 14 and the appendage forming rear wall 18 to the illustrated upright positions. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, preferably the edges of the Webs 22 are curved upwardly as at 30 to insure that all sharp or rough edges are directed away from the surfaces on which the desk tray may rest. The trays 12 may be of any desired length and width, for instance, the lower legal size and upper letter size shown in stack 10.

As shown in Figures 6 and 8, a relatively flat plate 32 is secured to the outer surface 34 of each longer leg 24 of the supports 14. Each plate 32 is generally quadrilateral in configuration and the vertical edges are curled or bent into a generally semi-cylindrical configuration, as indicated in 36. The curved portions 36 are indented thereacross somewhat as shown at 38 along approximately the horizontal axis of the respective plates 32.

As indicated in Figure 10, the central portion 40 of each plate 32 is indented outwardly of the surface 34 of the respective supports 14 and an aperture 42 formed therein. The indented central position 40 forms with the respective legs 24 a pocket 44 adapted to receive index cards 45 or the like.

The curled edges 36 form with the respective longer legs 24 oppositely directed pockets 46 adapted to receive the ends of rods or pins 48 that are employed when the trays 12 are stacked together. The plates 32 may be secured in place in any suitable manner, as by spot welding, as at 50 in Figure 10.

The desk trays 12 may be used separately or assembled in stacks 10 in the manner indicated in the drawings. When assembled in stacks 10, rods 48 are inserted in the respective (upper) pockets 46 formed by each p late 32 of the lowerniost tray, and the next tray is positioned above the bottom tray and the tops of the rods 48 inserted in the lower pockets 46 of this next desk tray. Succeeding: desk trays. are mounted; above` -th`e lower desk tray in a similar manner@ l It will; be noted .that when, the individual, desk, trays oL channel shaped supports` 14Y formcontinuons feet that provide support for the tray throughout its entrelength and-thus givesautray great stability.V Moreover,

the front end of Hoor or bottom 16 of the tray is spacedI considerably above the. surface 55, thus permitting tmore than adequate. hand clearancespace.

When the trays 12`are arranged the-;rods,g48 and the positioning of the oors .16.,a'bove the webs..22. p rovideveven-,grzeater handY clearance,

Asgpaperstend, to overlie the webs-22 whenplaced in..the respective deskitrays, the airidisplacedwhen papersraredropped in place passes out of the tray through each: end of,each support v14.v Thistendsto clean. off

thetopof'the web 22.- andthusinsures self-cleaning ofy tortheother is avoided. Each web 22 presents a broad; support surface s'othat the bottom. tray when resting..

ona-,atisurface is .highly resistant to inadvertent tipping. When the trays 12 are stacked ,they arein direct ver tical alignment andthus takev up a minimum of' desk ortable space.

The foregoing description andthe drawings are givenl are resting on a surface S5 Y(see Figure 2), the-:,-web`sl22- in stacks `or. tiers.\',y

merely to explain and illustrate my invention, and the invention is not to be limited thereto, except insofar as the appended' claims are soflimited since those skilled in the art whohave my disclosure before them will be able to make modications and variations therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

A desk tray formedffrom afsingle sheet of material and comprising a generally rectangular planar floor portion ankedfon-.oppositey sidesby-` side walls or`v like con-y 'guration Y-with |`a -downwardly extending troughr` member connecting each side wall with the adjacent sidernargin of saidioor portion,, thelowerv surface'of-said'trough members lying in a plane which is oblique with respect to the plane of said`-iloor'portion wherebyn the tray when placed on a at surface rests uniformly on said trough members with the oor member inclined rearwardly downwardly, and a rear wall risingy upwardly romthe rearmargin of said oor portion, said trough members, providing` an V,runescape path as papers are dropped `onfv the tray.

References CitedV in the tleof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 179,276 Abrahamson Nov. 27, 1956 D. 179,534 Bullock et al. Jan. 15, 1957i 1,089,518 Woodruff Mar. 10, 1914 1,890,143l Bales Dec. 6, 1932.1 2,360,218- Gavin Oct, 10, 1944.Y 2,481,233 Morset,y Sept. 6, 1949 2,575,919, Kautzmannetal. Nov. 20,- 1951 2,858,028.. Hunting Oct. 28, 1958n UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECHON Patent No., 2,901,12@ i August 25, 1959 Charles M. Abrahamson t It is hereby certified that error appears in the -printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Lettersi Patent should read as corrected below.

1 Column 2, line 9, for "illustrathig" read -m' illustrating column line l0, for "Walls or like read walls of like' n.,

i Signed and sealed this lst day of March l960 (SEAL) Attest:

ROBERT C. WATSN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

